Good Riddance
by Flitting Wishes
Summary: When I turned 13, my dad left without explanation. Two years later, he shows up again, along with Itex and a new pair of wings. *AU* *DISCONTINUED*
1. Chapter 1

**Yo. Um, this is my very first fan fiction, so please go easy on me! I'm sorry if some of the story is cliché, but I'm trying to mix it up a bit, so…. Let's hope I succeed!**

**Er…**

**I no own Maximum Ride. Got it? **

***.*.*Flitting Wishes*.*.* **

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All right, so, I'm gonna tell you a story:

Once, there was this girl, and her name was Maximum Ride.

Yes, Max. A boy name. Whatever.

She had a fairly good life. She had an amazing mom. (Best cookies _ever_.) Her sister was one of her best friends, her dad was caring. She had a bunch of friends; everything was _perfect_ in Max's book.

That is, up until the age of twelve.

You see, dear reader, which was the year she started sixth grade. Most awkward year of your life.

Oh, and the fact her dad went missing that year.

*Stopping metaphor now*

'Kay, details:

It was my thirteenth birthday. (Oh, cliché-ness. He dies on _my freaking birthday_!) Dad went out to get the cake from the store, and, just...never returned.

After about thirty minutes of waiting, mom got worried. She tried calling him, but he didn't answer any of the ba-jillion times mom called him. My little sister, Ella, and I were worried too; because, to tell ya the truth, my dad isn't exactly always...well, careful.

The police called after two hours of painful waiting, saying that they found his car at the bottom of a river, twenty miles away from the grocery store he was supposed to pick the cake up from. His body was never found.

But they did make it official—Jeb Ride was dead.

I refused to believe he actually died. Ella and mom believed them, but I was way too stubborn to believe that lie.

I remember shouting at the police he was wrong, running up to my room, slamming the door like the dramatic, stubborn, thirteen-year-old girl I was. I remember Mom coming up and talking to me. I remember telling her, "Dad's too tough for this, Mom! And why the heck would his car end up in a lake, twenty freaking miles from the store?"

She tried to get me to face it, I refused, she tried to get me to face it, and I refused. This went on for four years, until I finally gave in, agreeing that my father had drowned.

That, my friend, is where our story begins.

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"Yo, Max!" My best friend in the world, J.J, ran to catch up with me, brown **(a/n: Sorry if I got it wrong! I can't remember right now and I lost my copy of the book) **hair flying behind her, panting slightly when she caught up with me.

"So...how was your day?"

I laughed. "Seriously? That's why you ran half the length of the freaking school? To ask me how my day was? Nuh-uh. Now, what is it really?" I raised an eyebrow at my friend. She put a hand over her heart in fake shock, brownish-green eyes wide. "Why, Maxie! What would ever make you think that?"

I shook my head. "Oh, let me guess." I put a hand up, like "Wait!" closed my eyes, and pretended to think. "I got it!" I said after a moment's pause, "You want something from me, right?"

She rolled her eyes. "Duh."

I sighed, and then laughed lightly. "Whatever, J.J. What do you want, this time?"

"Oh, nothing," She said, nonchalantly. "…But I need to borrow ten bucks."

Oh, well, joy. "Why?"

"Because I made a bet with Michael and he won." Michael is one of our best guy-friends, besides Sam and Jeffery.

She smiled sheepishly at me, looking apologetic. I started digging threw my bag to find my wallet. When I found the money, I handed it to her, and she looked pretty relieved. "Thanks, Max!" She said happily, and ran off.

Well, that's just peachy. There goes the last of my allowance for the week.

I heard the bell ring, and start back the other way, towards my next period.

I have math for fifth period, which, believe it or not, is one of my favorite subjects. I'm one of the first students coming in, so I don't end up with a really crappy seat next to someone I either don't know, or someone I hate.

"Oh, hello, Max." Ms. Lent is at her desk, going through some papers, scribbling a grade on each one. Ms. Lent is a young, perky, very nice teacher, with blonde, wavy hair, usually in a pony tali. She has icy blue eyes, that you can't very well forget, and she wears rectangular glasses.

Ms. Lent is one of the only teachers who actually likes me, so that's a plus to this period. J.J walks in, and takes a seat next to me, looking kinda pissed off a bit.

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**Okay, so, yeah, yeah, short, bad place to end it, whatever. Excuse me for being pretty busy. :P**

**Anyways, this is just a prologue, and I'll try to make the rest of the chapters longer. Just to warn you, though…I probably won't update very often, but I'll try.**

***.*.*Flitting Wishes*.*.* **


	2. Chapter 2

**So, Yo, hey! I updated! Yippee!**

**Anyway, thanks for the reviews, you guys! It meant a lot, and also thanks to those who favorite or put the story on Story Alert! **

**Disclaimer: Nuh-huh. Not yet….**

***.*.*Flitting Wishes*.*.***

Her eyes were blazing, furious about something, and, of course, me being the person I am, it makes me insanely curious. She slumped in the seat next to me, muttering an angry, "Hey."

After all the years I've known J.J, I've learned a couple things.

1.) Never make a bet with her about something she actually puts her heart into. She'll bet everything, and in the end, you lose it all.

2.) Never talk to her when she's pissed. You usually want to keep all your limps.

And, 3.) Never, and I mean _never_, mess with her friends or family. That's when the lioness comes out to kill you.

So, I just waited the class out. Usually by the end of one period, she's back to her normal, happy go-lucky, self.

I'm right. By the time we leave for lunch, she's all perky again.

We're checking the school board (we like to do that before lunch, since it's right next to the cafeteria.), when the question had finally almost finished eating out my insides. So, I decided to confront her, now that she's calmed down quite a bit. "J.J?"

"Hmm?" She had been looking at the poster for auditions for cheer leading, and at the sound of my voice, she snapped her head up to look at me. "Yeah, Maxie?"

"What happened earlier that ticked you off so much?" I must have looked pretty eager, 'cause she laughed at my expression. "If you must know, some jerks were hitting on my cousin." J.J's cousin, Rachel, is like her little sister. And she is _very _protective of her. Rachel is this hyper, fun-to-be-around, really sweet girl. She loves shopping, and designing clothes, and let's not forget singing. She's better than all the mainstream singers put together. She's only in her first year, though.

One good/bad thing about her is her appearance: Brown, curly hair, down to her shoulders. Sea green eyes, and a heart shaped face. According to _everyone, _she's beautiful.

I know a lot of girls who are jealous of her, and I've heard a bunch of guys say she's incredibly hot.

I guess J.J caught a bunch of nimrod jerks hitting on her. You'd think J.J would be used to guys hitting on Rachel by now, but she isn't. After four years, it still angers her to see someone that airhead and just...ugh kind of guys asking her out. Thankfully, though, Rachel never accepts.

The strange thing is, though, is that J.J usually doesn't get as angry as she did today. I wonder...

Before I could ask any further, Sam and Jeffery come up to us, arguing about baseball or something.

"Hey, guys." J.J greeted. I waved slightly, and smiled. They only stopped arguing, for, like, a second. Then went back to it.

"God, those two are _so _annoying sometimes!" I told J.J as we were walking in the cafeteria, Sam and Jeffery behind us, still arguing.

She nodded.

We got our disgustingly gross school food, and sat at one of the tables in the back, away from everyone else. Luckily, though, they stopped arguing when we sat down.

Michael came over to us a little while later. "Hey, guys." J.J blushed. Of course.

I sighed, and made a tsk-tsk noise. Sam and Jeffery gave me a weird look, like "What the heck?" But J.J understood, and slapped my arm lightly. "Shut up."

Everyone knows J.J likes Michael, though she won't admit it.

Michael tried to make small talk, but I wasn't in the mood. So, now, of course, I'm going to talk to the imaginary audience in my head.

I'm gonna tell you about Sam, Michael, and Jeffery:

Jeffery is one year older than me, even though we're all in the same grade. He has messy, brown hair, and bright green eyes that suggest he's an easygoing guy. He acts like the protective older brother for J.J and me, which are helpful, especially since he's pretty buff, (I feel so awkward saying that, since he's more of a brother) kind of intimidating all the jerk-idiot-face guys who've tried to hit on J.J or me. Not that there are many, even when he wasn't our personal bodyguard... *this is were I would smile awkwardly*

Sam is another story. He's our age, for one thing. And for another, he's basically J.J's twin.

No, they aren't actually twins, but they act like it sometimes. They'll finish each other's sentences, (which crept me out at first) they think so incredibly alike, it's freaky. Plus the look pretty similar. Both with dirty blonde/light brown hair, greenish-brown eyes that usually are pretty playful. Both protective of their siblings.

Michael. Well, there's a back-story that goes along with him. J.J, Michael, and I were neighbors as little kids. The best of friends, too. Michael has blond hair, and electric blue eyes that seem to just see strait through you're body and into your soul.

...Okay that was corny. Remind me never to say that aloud...Or, you know what? Not even in my head. I feel like Bella.

Off topic, sorry. Anyways, we were best friends, all three of us. The three amigos. All for one, and one for all. We were very competitive, too. We would race to see who could make it to the end of the block and back first. We would try to see who would jump the highest, throw the farthest, and hold their breath the longest.

Through the years, from Kindergarten to now, we grew up together, always by each other's side. I never even once thought about leaving those two for popular friends. Neither did J.J, or Michael. We stayed together, forever.

When we hit fifth grade, though, J.J and Michael had a little problem. They started to more-than-friends like each other. Not so good for me.

They hung around together more and more and with out me. I felt third wheel-ish.

That's around the time some new kids moved here. Nick, Iggy, Angel, Nudge, and Zephyr. The moved in next to my house.

Nick and Iggy were my age, while Nudge was two years younger. Angel was just four years old, and Gazzy only six.

Nick, Iggy, and I became close friends. They liked Michael and J.J, too, though it was usually just Iggy, Nick, and I.

I admit: it was weird not having J.J and Michael around. But, in some ways…I kind of liked it. None of us ever felt third wheel-ish.

Nick and Iggy understood me better, which is weird, because only J.J knows my secret. But they acted like they had the same problem.

The strangest part about them, though, is that _right _after my dad disappeared, they moved away. And I haven't ever seen them since.

After they were gone, and my dad died, J.J and Michael came back around. Nothing like a traumatizing experience to bring friends closer together, I always say.

**…And…. END!**

**Okay, sorry for the short chapter, but my mom wants me to go do my chores, and I rather not get grounded. : )**

**I won't ask for reviews, because you can review if you want, and I really don't care if you do or not…so…. yeah…**

***.*.*Flitting Wishes*.*.***


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry! I meant to upload yesterday, but I couldn't find the time to type this up!**

**Anyways….**

**DISCALIMA: * talking like da robot *I. Don't. Own. Max-I-mum Ride. Beep-boo-bop-beep. …**

**That was lame. Whatever.**

***.*.*Flitting Wishes*.*.***

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"Max? Yo, Maxie? MAX!" J.J yelled in my ear. I screamed when she screamed in my ear, and jumped about a foot in the air. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?" I don't like being woken from a daydream by my friend yelling in my ear.

She shrugged. "You seemed totally out of it." The boys were laughing their butts off, so I got up, and slapped them both upside the head. They continued to laugh.

"Jerks…" I muttered, even though I laughed a little with them.

We continued to talk for a while, the subjects skipping around. One moment we were talking about homework, the next chocolate. As you've probably already noticed, I have pretty weird friends.

For the rest of the day, nothing eventful happened. Neither the week.

When something actually worth telling you came up, it was a week after that.

Now let me tell you the story:

When I woke up November 17, I didn't expect it to be anything different than what it usually is. But, oh, was I terribly wrong.

The day started out normal enough, though. I got up (late), threw on jeans and a band t-shirt, ran to catch the bus. Got to school, talked with J.J, Michael, Jeffery, and Sam. Talked back to a couple teachers, tried avoiding the school slut, Lisa—Wait! I never told you about her!

Well, she's this really sleazy girl in my grade. She practically walks around the school half-naked, and throws herself at guys every other second.

So, anyway, a normal school day.

Normal…_until _I got to homeroom. (Yes, I did do all of the above before homeroom. I'm just that awesome.) Two new kids came. Can you guess who they were?

Oh, come on! I'm sure you can!

Here's a hint: I mentioned them as being my best friends for a while earlier, than they moved away.

Still don't know? Well, then you're an idiot. Just saying.

I'll tell you. The two new kids were Fang and Iggy.

OMG! Shocker, right? (Note the sarcasm.)

Yeah. My jaw basically hit the floor when they walked in. Even after six years, they still managed to look the same.

Fang was still the same emo boy—black hair, olive skin, dark brown eyes, and every article of clothing black…. Yeah, emo. (No, not really. He just looks emo.)

Iggy still had the pale skin, bright, electric blue eyes, and mischievous grin. He was taller; both of them were. But I still could tell.

When the teacher asked for them to tell something about themselves, Fang just looked at him like he was extremely bored, which he probably was.

Iggy didn't say anything; he just "looked" around, probably trying to concentrate on the sounds. Did I ever mention that Iggy is blind?

The teacher, Mr. Town, said, "Um…Iggy, is it? Why don't you sit by Mr. Malstone?" That, my friend, would be Sam. Iggy somehow managed to find Sam right away, with out any problems, let alone help.

"And, Nicholas —" I stifled a laugh. I always found his real name…so not him. The teacher gave me a look, and I just glared right back at him. After a second, he finally said, "Why don't you sit by Miss Ride?" I raised my left eyebrow at the teacher, like "Oh, yeah? That's the best you can do?" But he looked pretty satisfied with it. When he turned around, I stuck my tongue out at him like the mature sixteen- (almost seventeen)- year-old I was.

Fang came over to the empty seat next to mine and sat down quietly. I didn't get a chance to say hello, because right after he sat down, Mr. Town started teaching again, but I swore he caught his breath when he looked at me.

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_I was running._

_Running from them. Just_ them._ I don't know who they are, or what they want with me, but I know they aren't good news._

_The trees pass by me in a blur, unrecognizable. I have a feeling that someone is waiting for me to get home and be there with him, but then I shake that feeling off because it's an absurd thought. I don't have a family, or at least that's what I've heard "them" say._

_I hear them shouting threats and curses and any insult their small brains can think of at me. I see one pull out a dark object from their pocket, and it looks vaguely familiar, though I can't place it._

_They shout a name at me, but I don't know who's it is. One says:_

_"Maximum Ride! I know you! You shouldn't be running! You were safe here! It was just a test for you and the Flock!" Who's Maximum Ride? And who is "The Flock"? This doesn't make any sense! What test? Why am I running if I was supposedly safe there?_

What's going on?

_I hear the same one yell at the one who's now pointing the object at me, "DON'T YOU _DARE_ SHOOT!" But too late now. I hear a noise, and then feel a sharp pain in my back. I fall and the last thing I think before slipping into unconsciousness:_ Lovely.

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Someone is shaking me, and the first thing my instincts tell me to do, is go into defense mode. I end up slapping the person across the face and they cry out in pain.

_Wow, I guess I hit harder than I thought. _

"Oh, sorry!" I apologize right away. The next thing I notice is that the person I hit was Fang, which makes things all the more awkward.

The third thing I notice is that there's only about three other people left in the room.

Huh. I must've fallen asleep during class.

He just shrugs it off, though he's holding his cheek. Ah, the typical emotionless brick wall known as Fang.

I remove his hand to check for slap marks, (I tend to leave those a lot.) and it must sting pretty badly but he doesn't say anything. "There _are _marks, but they'll fade quickly." I tell him, dropping his hand, and bending down to pick my bag up. I get up from my seat and head for the door. Then I realize he's still sitting down, turn around again, and say jokingly, "Are you coming or are you just gonna sit there all day?" He gets up and follows me out the door.

We're just walking down the hallway when I finally get tired of the constant silence. "So, where'd you move from?" Real question, people. They never told before they left.

"Uh, California."

I nod. "Did you like it there?" Lame question, I know. Shut up.

He doesn't reply for a second. "Not really." I glance at him and he's frowning down at the floor. I tilt my head to the side, a habit of mine. "Why'd you move there then?"

"…Dad's work." Um…well, that's weird. When they lived here, I never recall seeing their dad.

I don't point that out though.

He decides to start the conversation this time. "I never got your name."

I was a little disappointed he didn't recognize me, but I would _not _let _him _know that. I say proudly, "Maximum Ride, call me Max though."

"Nick Craw." I smiled faintly before someone tried to tackle me from behind. Even though I didn't turn around, I knew it was J.J.

"Umph!" She knocked me over, but I didn't fall to the ground. I just stumbled a little, and then turned around to a laughing J.J. "Excuse me, J.J, but I think you need to watch where you're going next time." I said, putting my hands on hips, and giving her a stern look. She laughed more, and then acted all serious again. She put her feet together, and saluted. "Ma'am, yes, ma'am!" It was my turn to laugh a bit.

Fang just stood off to the side, looking at us strangely. I stopped laughing, and introduced them. "J.J, this is Nick—Nick, this is J.J." They exchanged hello's.

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**GAH! AGAIN WITH THE AWKWARD ENDINGS TO CHAPTERS! GRRR!**

**Like I just said: Sorry for awkward ending, and also sorry for short chapter! But I know how to make it up to you! **

**I'm gonna try to upload a new chapter every other day. So, I'll write one day, upload the next. 'Kay?**

**I'm sure you all know what the object they pointed at Max was. 'Cause if you don't, you either don't pay attention, you didn't read it, or you're just plain stupid. **

**Oh, and I lied in one of the chapter a/n. I DO CARE IF YOU REVIEW OR NOT!**

**Iggy** **(yes, I stole Iggy! MWHAHAHAHAHA!): Calm down, Monica. It's gonna be okay. The nice men in white coats are on their way.**

**Me: * deep breathe * Okay, I'm good. **

***.*.*Flitting Wishes*.*.***


	4. IGGY! GET IN THE FREAKING CLOSET!

**Okay, okay, I know you really, really hate me right now! But this is REALLY important.**

**Iggy:**** To you….**

**Me: Stay in the closet!**

**Ugh! Just ignore him.**

**Anyways, it's important.**

**Iggy****: I—**

**Me: Not a word. **

**Uh, okay, I need help. I want to know what you people think about making the last chapter—in Fang's point of view.**

**I want to, but I feel like I should ask my (Iggy: non-existent...) audience first. **

**So…how would you like it for me to make a Fang's Point Of View for the last chapter?**

**Please, please, PLEASE review and tell me what you think. **

**Iggy****: Please. She won't let me leave until the story is finished!**

**Me: I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO STAY IN THE FREAKING CLOSET!**

**Iggy:**** AHHH! * Runs out of room * **

**Me: * growls * Iggy! * Gets up to go chase Iggy into the closet ***

**_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_THREE HOURS LATER-_-_-_-_-_-_**

**Me: * sits back in computer chair * Okay, I'm good! And Iggy is back in the closet! —Uh, er, I mean—He's back in the guest room! Yeah, that's it. He's in the guest room….**

**REVIEW AND TELL ME WHATYA THINK!**

***.*.*Flitting Wishes*.*.***


	5. Chapter 3: Fang's POV

**I think Fang's OOC in this chapter, but oh well.**

**I DON'T OWN MAX RIDE. DURH. **

***.*.*Flitting Wishes*.*.***

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Fang's POV:

The reason we cam here: The School.

No, not school, like, where you learn and all that crap. _The _School.

Care to elaborate, you ask?

"The School" is the place we—meaning Nudge, Iggy, Angel, the Gasman, and I—grew up. It's a laboratory, where a bunch of sick-o scientist experimented on us. And when I say "experiment" I mean, literally, _experiment. _

They "abducted" us when we were just infants and brought us there. They did a bunch of test and crap, sooner or later, making us only 98% human.

That other 2%, has given all of us wings.

This may be hard to believe, but they did that on _accident. _I don't think we were ever _meant _to have the wings.

The head of The School—Itex. My merry band of mutants and I have been looking for it, all over the world. The only problem?

If we're gonna take them down, we need as much help as possible.

And so that meant we needed to find Max.

We meet her four years ago, out here in Arizona. That was when we had a place to be. But then my mom died, the School found us, and we had to leave.

I was the one to suggest coming back here. Max was an avian-hybrid like us, too, though I'm sure she wouldn't have admitted it.

You see, she didn't exactly _tell _us. We found out.

Not telling you how. We're just so amazing, that we just know….

So, that's the reason we came back, and thus, were forced into going to regular school.

Wonderful.

Speaking of which, November 17th was my first day.

Nudge, Angel and The Gasman—yes, there IS a reason for his name. Pray you're never there when he lives up to it—were excited and all that, but Iggy and I really just didn't want to go.

Iggy had to threaten to poor water on my head to get me out of bed.

Enough said.

But, enough on that, I'm just going to skip to the part where we actually get to school.

"It's official. I _loathe _being the new kid." Nudge said, walking beside Iggy and I. Just about every one was staring at us. After growing up in a dog crate with a bunch of creeper adults doing tests on you, you tend to hate attention.

We just kept walking along, Iggy trying not to run into any one, Nudge trying to avoid eye contact, and me just trying to make it threw the day without any Erasers attacking us.

Ah, Erasers. Out mortal enemy.

Erasers are these human/wolf hybrids that were created at the School to "exterminate" us "failures". If you ask me, we are the most successful creations they are ever going to come close to making.

The School sends them after us all the time, so now I was making sure we didn't have any run-ins with them.

Iggy and I had the same subject for First Period, so we walked in together. To everyone that doesn't know us (so, everyone) we are all brothers and sisters, adopted.

You're probably wondering who's watching us, you know, our parents, and such. Truth be told, we're just watching _ourselves. _I'm the leader of our little family. Iggy's second in command, and then Nudge. It goes by age, as you can see.

I walked in, putting on my emotionless brick wall façade.

The teacher, Mr. What's-His-Face, asked us to tell something about ourselves. I just stared at him, looking bored, and Iggy just pretended to be a lost blind boy.

I forgot to mention that Iggy's blind, sorry.

Anyways, the teacher _finally _got that we weren't going to say anything and assigned us seats.

Iggy sat by some guy with brown-blonde hair and hazel eyes.

"And, Nicholas —" Someone in the back stifled a laugh, and my head snapped up to look at them. The girl was around my age with dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. She looked really, really familiar…"Why don't you sit by Miss Ride?" The teacher said after a minute of giving the girl a look. She raised her eyebrow like, "Seriously?" But the teacher just turned away, smirking.

I made my way over to the empty seat next to her.

Then I found out why she looked familiar. It was Max.

Well, that's convenient.

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**MWHAHAHAHA! I AM SO EVIL! Aren't you happy that I uploaded another chappie? Cuz I am!**

**Anyways, thanks, guys, for the reviews and such! **

**Iggy's still in the closet….mwhahahahahahaha!**

**Sorry for the short-y-ness! **

***.*.*Flitting Wishes*.*.***


	6. Chapter 6

**I updated one day earlier! Yay!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN, YOU IDIOTS! NOW STOP STALKING ME!**

***.*.*Flitting Wishes*.*.***

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FANGY'S POV!:

Sometime during class, Max fell asleep on her desk.

Her brown/blonde hair was sprawled across her desk; her lips were parted slightly, and she just looked so peaceful and beautiful…. It was kind of distracting.

By some miracle, the teacher didn't notice, though everyone around her did. Some of the girls kept glancing at me, which annoyed me a lot.

After one _boring _hour, we were finally dismissed. Max was still asleep, and I was about to wake her, when she started mumbling.

I felt like a creeper, just watching her for a second, but excuse me for being curious!

"What's going on…?" Max mumbled, only loud enough for my genetically enhanced ears to hear. She started breathing heavily and shaking a little bit, so I tried waking her up.

I shook her a couple times and said, "Max…" every so often. About three minutes, she woke up.

And, oh, yeah, she slapped me.

"Ow!" I felt like such a wimp considering I've fought Erasers without complaining, but man, Max hits _hard. _My hand automatically came up to my cheek.

Max realized what she had done, and started apologizing. She took my hand off my cheek, held it, looked at me for a second (which made me really self-conscious) then said, "There _are _marks, but they'll fade quickly." And dropped my hand. She bent down to pick up her bag, and I just sat there thinking, while she walked to the door. She turned around, noticing I hadn't moved. "Are you coming or are you just gonna sit there all day?" I walked out the door with her, and we walk down the hall together.

We didn't say anything in the hall, until I guess she got tired of the silence.

"So, where'd you move from?" She asked, glancing up at me.

"Uh, California." I answered, uneasily. The School is in California.

She nodded at me, probably not knowing what to say. "Did you like it there?" More questions. Yay.

I don't reply for a second. I don't like the School, which is in California so I wouldn't be lying… "Not really." I'm just studying the ground as we walk, and out of the corner of my eye, I see her glance at me, a questioning look in her beautiful, brown eyes.

She tilts her head to the side. "Why'd you move there then?"

"…Dad's work." Total lie. I don't have a dad.

I decide to start the conversation this time. "I never got your name." So not true. I remember everything about her, but I'm not sure if she does, so I don't want to sound stalker-ish…

She looks disappoint for a second when I look at her, but then she replaces it with a proud look. I notice she tilts her head up a little higher. "Maximum Ride, call me Max though."

"Nick Craw." Again, lie. I don't have a real last name, but that's what I registered into school as: "Nick Craw".

Someone comes up behind Max and tackles her. She stumbles, turns around, and glares at the brunette girl who made her (almost) fall. "Excuse me, J.J, but I think you need to watch where you're going next time." She says, setting her hands on her hips, looking all angry and what not. The girl laughed more, and then acted all serious again. She put her feet together, and saluted. "Ma'am, yes, ma'am!" They continued to laugh, and I just stood in the corner, awkwardly waiting.

Max seemed to realize this, and introduced us. "J.J, Nick—Nick, J.J."

All right then.

J.J turned to Max again, and started up a conversation. After a few minutes, J.J went off to find someone, and Max said, "Sorry 'bout that. J.J gets r_eally _into conversations sometimes." She looked a little bit nervous, and like she didn't want to be there.

We talked for a while just about nothing in general, until the bell rang and, since we had the same 2nd period, (* cough cough cliché cough cough *) we walked to class together.

Ugh. Another boring hour waster of my life.

The teacher, Ms. Vicervoth ("I mean, come on, _Vicervoth?" _Nudge later complained to me.) said we were going to start a History project! Whoop-dee-freaking-do.

I got paired up with the same guy that Iggy sat next to in 1st period. I found out that his name was Sam sooner or later, and we started our project.

Max got paired with a girl who I _also _had not idea who the heck she was. She had red, fiery hair, brown eyes, a lot of freckles, and looked (and probably _was_) a slut. A pink, frilly skirt that barely covered her butt, and a white tank top _way _too low cut.

I noted Max's look of disgust and horror on her face when the teacher said that Max would be working with "Lissa." Yeah, I know. I pick up names just by listening. That's just how amazing I am.

I don't even remember what the project was about, to tell you the truth. Something involving Lewis and Clark…? Eh. * insert imaginary shrug here * Heck, how should I know?

I wasn't paying much attention to it, anyways, and I probably would get a low grade, but I didn't care.

Sam seemed nice, though it wasn't like we were friends or anything. He was descent enough, though. I also learned that he seemed to _really _like Max…* growl *

She also seemed to like him a lot, too, and that made me really angry.

I admit, I was annoyed that he did and jealous. But no more on that, we are _dropping _the subject.

The rest of the day was a blur. I remember that a couple times Lissa tried flirting with me in the hall when I was talking to Max, but I just ignored her. I remember getting on the bus with Iggy and Nudge, and getting off with the whole of our family. I remember, less vaguely, the talk I had with the Flock (which is what we call our family. You know, since we have wings? Get it? …. Oh, never mind.) about the day.

Iggy and I decided to call everyone in the living room. Nudge came skipping in, leisurely humming to herself. Gazzy and Angel ran in, sort of racing.

"All right, you guys. Report." Even though we usually don't use that for telling about their day…you know, since we never go to school, I still used it. It's commonly used for when we've been in a fight and I want to see how badly they're injured.

"Well, I had a pretty good day, though it wasn't the best. The bus was noises and loud and obnoxious in the whole and it really, really annoyed me—Oh, there's this guy in my fourth period class and he is soo, just, eww! He's_ really _loud and he just won't stop talking and I mean, I know _I _talk all the time, but it's just sooo weird coming from someone else! Huh! I wonder—do I ever do that! Like, talk so much to the point of being obnoxious? Oh, I bet I'm doing it ri—" Nudge started talking, and she just would _not _stop, so I guess Iggy got tired of having his ears talked off, so he clamped his hand over Nudge's mouth. She continued to talk into his hand, muffled. It sounded like: "Meh uhf gouh arg zo pmein eh camtd—" and when Iggy took his hand off her mouth, she said:" so rude, I can't even—" and he put his hand back. She stopped talking that time. There's a reason she's called Nudge. "One nudge and she just goes off." I'm quoting Iggy, folks.

After Nudge stopped, Iggy said, "Okay, one at a time, please. And, Nudge," He looked at her with his sightless eyes. "Don't keep talking when someone puts their hand over your mouth. It's not helping." She smiled sheepishly.

Angel said how she had a good time. She told me she made a new friend in class—her name was Lacey. She had brown hair down to her shoulders, and milky brown eyes. (Angel's description, folks. Never in my life have I met a Lacey.)

She tried reassuring me that she wouldn't us her mind controlling powers on the teachers, or read their minds for every answer.

Like me explain: At the School, they also gave us powers. Nudge is a wiz with the computer and she can tell were a person's been just by touching it. Angel can read and control minds. (A 10-year-old mind reader and controller. Not creepy at all.) Gazzy…well, self-explanatory. Iggy can see colors by touching them and can see when things are white.

Me? Well, I can turn invisible when I stay completely still and silent.

Anyways, we're off subject. So, back to the Flock's day.

Gazzy said that it wasn't as amazing as he would've liked. Some kid called him "dumbass". Of course, none of us are very happy with that, but there really isn't anything we can do. He said that class was boring—no duh—but he made one new friend, a boy name Trey who had blonde hair and blue eyes. Apparently he was really nice.

Iggy said his day was boring, and that he, unlike the younger kids, didn't make any friends.

Nudge said most of what she said earlier, and that she met this girl named Ella Martinez with black hair, tan skin, and chocolate brown eyes.

Then it's my turn and I only tell them the important thing.

"I found Max."

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**I wish my chapters were longer…. Grr….**

**But I felt like I had to end it there…. **

**Hahaha, did I surprise you with the Fang's POV? No? Well, poop.**

**Some of the events in here are going to be similar to the second book, because I felt like making it like that. **

**Iggy: I'm out of the closet! Some one come and save me!**

**Me: IGGY! **

***.*.*Flitting Wishes*.*.***


	7. Chapter 7

**Yay! Another chappie! Awesomesauce!**

**WARNING: This chapter does not contain Fax. Sowwy : (**

**DISCLAIMER: JP is some man out in, like, Florida, I think, who live in a mansion with a lot of money and what not. Do I **_**look **_**like some man out in Florida with a bunch of money and a mansion and what not? No. No I don't. Now get out of my house. **

**(btw, when I wrote this I was listening to "Beautiful Beautiful" by Francesca Battistelli. I'm gonna try to start a "song for the day" and so that's today's :D)  
**

***.*.*Flitting Wishes*.*.*

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**

I'd like to tell you that I'm normal.

But, I can't. Because then I'd be lying. And it wouldn't matter anyways, because if I'm going to tell you this, you'll need to know the full story.

So here I go:

When I was just born, some messed up people… they abducted me.

They took me to this place. I don't exactly remember what it was, or where it was for that matter. They took me there, and, somehow I ended up with wings. They're tawny brown getting lighter at the tips until they're white.

I remember running from something as a little two year old. I think it was like a werewolf…

Anyways, somehow I was taken back home when I was three…I can't remember.

Before I was, though, most of my memory was wiped, I think, because I only remember glitches of things. Like pieces of a puzzle that won't fit together. Two plus two equaling five. It didn't even give me a general idea of what happened.

My parents wouldn't speak off it. They always said, 'When you're older', which I thought was pure nonsense because, after all, it was about _me, _and I should know everything that happens to _my _life.

My mom was going to tell me when I turned thirteen, but then my dad died and she couldn't even _think _about my wings without crying.

I gave up a long time ago. Ella doesn't know why I have them either.

Only Ella, Mom, (used to be) Dad, and J.J know. Not even Michael.

We're the only people in the world—as far as I know—that know about them. And that's good too, because my wings sure as heck are _not _good, or going to attract the right kind of people.

I'm a freak. No ones ever called me that, but I know that even they know it's true. I was abducted as an infant. I don't have any memory until the age of four. I have freaking _wings. _That's not something you see everyday.

I'm smart enough to know that my wings have something to do with Dad. And that Wing+ Dad= nothing good or anything that's going to keep me sane.

I wouldn't say I've had _that _bad of a life.

Okay, yeah, I have. But at least I haven't been raped or abused! Then my life would officially be the worst ever.

One of the very few things I remember from a three-year-old is seeing other people like me.

* * *

_As I made my way to the door, the man who was taking me holding me by my long hair, I saw a little girl, around my age. She had black hair and gray eyes, and black-brown wings. She looked broken. And not just physically. _

_She was curled up in her cage._

(Yes, I did say cage. Whoever took me there was a sick, sick person.)

_She was curled up in her cage, knees pressed up to her chest, hands locked around them. A steady stream of tears came raining down. _

_She looked at me sadly, and shook her head. Her big, gray eyes were so pleading that I couldn't help the feeling inside me that I had to help her or else. She sobbed more._

_I looked at the man who was leading me out the room with disgust and then turned back to the girl. The girl looked at the cage to her right and set her eyes on a boy around our age with blonde hair. He looked limp and beaten, and was sprawled out as much as you can be in the small cages with his eyes closed._

_His chest wasn't moving._

_The girl cried and cried. When I came back in the room from doing whatever it was I left to do, she had stopped. She sat the corner closest to the boy's cage, and just stared at him. We didn't talk at all. I could barely hear her breathing and I might've thought she was dead if I hadn't seen her chest moving._

_Some time later, the same man came to the boy who had… died, and she watched with sad eyes as probably her only friend was carried away.

* * *

_

That was one of my only vivid memories. Maybe it was because I realized something that day. Maybe it was because somehow, when I looked at the girl, I knew she was just like me. Broken. Alone. Ignorant.

I wasn't the worst one there. As much as I'd like to believe that there aren't worst things going on somewhere in the world, I'd just be lying to myself. I knew there were other kids and teenagers and maybe even adults out there who had wings and who didn't have any one in the world.

It's a cruel thought, thinking about me in such a beautiful house, with a mom and friends and a _life_. While that girl might still be the way she was.

If I could've, I would've helped that girl. I was three, though. My hands were tied behind my back, and the man was holding me by my hair. I was scared and not stable.

When I was fifteen something came on the news about a boy around seventeen that was on the run for stealing a car. I knew better than to believe that was the whole story.

I've seen more than just two incidents like that. People being abused, threatened, and accused. People who've gone insane.

With out a second thought, if I could, I would change all that. No ones life should be that messed up.

And, to tell you the truth, I don't want my wings. Sure, I love flying. But there's a price to that.

1.) I have to be careful around anyone who isn't my family or J.J.

2.) When I was little, I wasn't as careful. We moved four times before staying here.

3.) I can't go swimming. Not that I've ever cared.

4.) Having my wings tucked in all the time is painful.

5.) I get head explosions.

6.) And, oh, yeah. I hear voices.

_Really only one voice, Maximum. It's not plural. _

Ah, speak of the Devil and he shall appear. Awesome.

Let me explain:

When I was…where ever I was, they did something else to me. They gave me a voice. And, no, not like my conscience. Like, someone else inside my head. (Not creepy at all.)

I can't tell if it's male or female or if it's human or computerized. "The Voice" as I refer it to, hasn't been here in a long time.

And, for some reason, the Voice decided to pop in when I was talking to the imaginary audience in my head.

Oh, god. I sound mental.

_Hello, Max. _The Voice greets. Least it didn't call me Maximum again…

_Why are you here?_

No reply.

_I think you know._

Spoke too soon.

_What? _I make a puzzled face, and Ella, who's watching TV, probably thinks I'm insane. Eh. Might be.

The Voice doesn't talk to me for a while after that. Sigh. All ways talks when I don't want it to, never talks when I actually do.

I get up from my spot on the couch, and make my way up to my room.

**I liked this chapter the most because….I don't know, I just love the other girl. If anyone wants I can make an OC story about her….*hint hint nudge nudge wink wink***

***.*.*Flitting Wishes*.*.***


	8. Chapter 8

**Max's POV:**

Saturday morning, I'm woken up by a very, very annoying, sometimes brat, little sister, who goes by the name of Ella.

She jumps on my bed and basically attacks me trying to get me up.

"ELLA! YOU ARE SO GETTING IT NOW!" I all but yell, as she sprints out of my room, giggling. I force myself out of my bed, and chase after her down the stairs, and into the hallway between the stairs, and the kitchen.

She's pretty fast, (and she's on the track team) but I'm just a bit faster. She yelps when she looks behind her and sees me gaining on her. When we run into the kitchen, mom, who's cooking, tells us to stop, but we ignore her.

I grin. Since I have slits in the back of some of my shirts—including the one I'm wearing at the moment—my brown-and-white wings are out, and I extend them, just a bit, threateningly to Ella.

Mom hates it when I use my wings to freak Ella out—(you'd think after sixteen years, she'd be use to it.)—But it's so fun. Ella's eyes widen ever so slightly, and then mom sees this. She gives me a long look, obviously saying, "Stop it, right now." But then she just says, "Go up stairs and change." I sigh, relieved. I don't get in trouble with my mom often, but that just makes me feel worst when I actually _do. _

Before I can, though, the door bells rings. Startled at this, and since it's just my first reaction, I pull me wings in and press them tightly to my back. Not what I expected to happen.

Frantically, Ella throws me my jacket, which is hanging on the back of one of our many kitchen chairs. I slip it on as fast as possible. Mom then opens the front door. Ella grins, and we fist-bump.

I hear my mother exchange hellos with whoever is at the door. "Ella!" Mom yells from down the hall. "Monique is here for you and Max!" Ella glances nervously at me, and I give her a questioning look. She replies back to mom, "'Kay! Give us a minute for Max to get changed!" And then proceeds to drag me up the stairs, asking her a bunch of questions.

Ella takes me to my room, and makes her way over to my closet, me following behind her. She throws me a pair of gray skinny jeans, and a Paramore t-shirt. "Get dressed. Meet me downstairs in five minutes." I just nod, because I don't feel like arguing at the moment.

It takes me exactly two minutes to slip on my pants and shirt, and to lace up my black converse high-tops. Then I make a sad attempt to brush through my tangles mess of blonde hair, and brush my teeth before heading down to Ella and "Monique". I still have no idea who she is, by the way.

It takes me half a minutes to run down the stairs, tripping while I still try to brush my hair, and then land at the bottom like a cat. I look at Ella and hold the blue hairbrush out to her. She takes it, I turn around, and Ella starts hacking through my hair. Mom and Monique, who I can actually _see _now, just stand off to the corner and talk. Mocha colored skin, black-brown hair in a high ponytail, and big brown cow eyes, Monique is really pretty. Wait one darn sec—

"MAX!" She squeals and we hug. "Oh, my god, Maxie! I haven't seen you in, like, forever!" Nudge goes on. That's right, imaginary audience. Monique is Nudge, Fang, Iggy, Angel, and Gazzy's—or Zephyr's, which is his real name—adopted sister.

Ella shushes Nudge when she says something about how fun shopping will be.

I look at Ella like she's grown another head. "You're taking me _where?" _I sort of—kind of—okay, yes, I do scream at her. But, I am _not _going to the freaking mall! They both know I _loathe _shopping with a passion!

"But, Maaaax," She whines. "Nudge and I had everything all ready planned out!"

Nudge nods, adding, "please, please, please?" and then doing the (dreaded) Bambi eyes.

Curse you, stupid Bambi eyes!

I sigh, knowing I can't fight the Bambi eyes. "Fine," They both grin and Ella squeals a little bit. "But," I add, sternly. "_I'm _choosing what I'm gonna buy, got it?" The both continue to grin like the Cheshire cat, Ella more mischievously rather than joyously. Mom just stands off to the side, watching with amusement in her eyes. "Thanks, Maxi" Ella says, and they skip out the door. While they're dragging me behind them, I turn my head around to mom, and mouth _Help me!_ But she just laughs. Traitor.

Oh, dear Lord, what have I gotten myself into?

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**a/n: I feel SOOOOOO guilty because of the extreme short-ness of this chapter! :'(**

**But no worries! I'm gonna update tomorrow :D YAY!**

**Song of da day: Save You by Simple Plan (btw, the songs usually have nothing to do with the story, I was just listening to it as I was writing this and the next chappie for _When It's All Said And Done_, so yeah)**

***.*.*Flitting Wishes*.*.*  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**Guess what? I got a computer in my room instead of having to share one with my siblings! Yay! **

**Iggy: Too bad it doesn't have Internet…**

**Me: Shut up, Igs. **

**DISCLAIMER!: No. Just….no. **

***.*.*Flitting Wishes*.*.***

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**Max's POV:**

After dragging me around the insanely huge mall for a couple hours, Nudge and Ella decided to have mercy on me, and take me home. They said they were going to do _their _shopping tomorrow. (Truth be told, they bought a heck of a lot more than me!)

In case you were wondering, I was the only one out of us three who could drive. But Ella threatened to tell mom that I snuck out of the house when I was grounded—just that month, actually—to go be with my friends. I had to stay at the mall for _four freaking hours. _Four more hours than what I wanted!

When we finally drove up into Nudge's driveway, (Ella decided that we just _had _to visit the Craws. Not that I minded.) "Finally!" and threw my hands up in the air. Jumping out of the car, Ella and Nudge following, I throw my hands up yet again, but this time I say, "Oh, sweet, sweet freedom!"

Ella laughs at my stupidity. "Wow, Max! I have _never_—and I mean _never_—known a girl who hates shopping as much as you do."

I give a mock bow, and said, "Thank you," while I bend down. When I straighten up, I finish, "I try my best." Ella laughs again, while I just chuckle a little.

For some reason, Nudge is completely silent, staring down at her hands, sort of just shuffling along with us.

I put a hand over my heart in fake surprise. "Nudge _not talking? _What kind of messed up world _is this?_" Nudge smiles faintly, but it doesn't reach her eyes. She still looks far away. "Sorry. I've just been thinking…" She tells us, trailing over.

"About…?" Ella prompts, gesturing with her hands to Nudge, telling her to hurry up and finish Ella's sentence. Nudge doesn't after a second.

Then starts The Nudge Channel. (Which is what we say meaning she WON'T SHUT THE HECK UP: The Nudge Channel. All Nudge, all the time.)

"Well, you see, we hadn't really decided about moving here, and then F-Nick decided that we should but I wasn't sure about it and Iggy said we shouldn't but Nick all ways wins, and yesterday when we were talking about how our day was, Nick said that he—" Nudge clamps her own hand over her mouth to stop the flow of words, and her brown eyes are wide. Assuming she was just about to spill something important…

I giver her an odd look. "Well…I'm not exactly sure how to reply to that but I still—" Then we hear a noise from the inside of the house, sort of like a miniature explosion.

We run up to the wrap-around mahogany porch, and I get a glimpse of the house itself.

The house is a two-story, cream-white-ish type color, with dark purple shutters. Even though it's really big, it's probably still cramped with five kids. I have absolutely no idea what happened to their parents, just FYI.

Nudge throws open the door, and there's green fog _everywhere. _I cough/choke at the fowl smell, and when the fog leaves, it reveals a guilty looking Iggy, and an annoyed (and slightly guilty, also.) Zephyr/Gazzy.

Iggy grimaces. "Sorry you guys…Angel was distracting us while we tried to finish our…er…school project." I raise an eyebrow at him. Of course, he can't see it.

"Seriously, you two?" Nudge said, putting her hands on her hips. "I leave to go shopping with Max and Ella—whom, might I add, we haven't seen in four or so years— and come home to this!" She gestures at the mess. "I mean, yeah, sure, sometimes it's cool when you guys do really awesome, fun stuff, like that one time we went to the zoo and you asked if—" Ella slaps her hand over Nudge's mouth.

I try to finish for Nudge, after mouthing _thank you_ to Ella. "What Nudge was _trying _to say was that even if you do amazing stuff sometimes, you don't bomb the house while she's gone, all right? Other wise, I'll kick your butt to next week for making us walking into _this."_ I said, and then smiled, obviously joking. Gazzy/Zephyr—you know what? I'm just going to call him Gazzy. So Gazzy came up to me, and I hugged him. "Hi, Max." he said, and I smiled down at him. "Hey, Gazzy. 'S been forever, hasn't it?" He nodded, and let go. Ella asked, suddenly wanting to be in on the conversation, "How's Angel?" Both of the boys said, "Good" at the same time. _God, that used scared me sometime… _I think. Nudge, by now, can talk again, but hasn't after her failed attempt at a lecture.

Then Angel comes running down the stairs, golden hair in a pony tail, looking very happy.

"Max!" Angel said, running over to me, and hugged my waist. She let go after a second. "Hey, sweetie. How have you been?" She told me they've been great, and are happy to be back in town. Her and Ella hug, and for the next hour or so, all we're doing is talking about everything that happened in the time span of four to five years.

**Page-break….sort of…..**

Fang came in a little while later; looking slightly annoyed, but then put on his brick wall façade. We exchanged hellos and he comes in the kitchen (that is connected to the den,) and he joined the memory-fest. I'm glad to find out sooner or later that he remembers me.

_Maximum, _the Voice said, suddenly, startling me. _Do you understand _now _what I was talking about? _I had stopped talking to everyone, but I tried to look like I did before and make it seem like I was _not _having a mental conversation to a voice in my head.

It was pretty hard, though. _Dang, _I think. _How does Fang _do _this? _

_Max…_the Voice warns. I sigh mentally. (Is that even possible?) _No, Voice. I do not know the answer to your stupid freaking riddle. _I tell it, icily. _And I'm not sure that I even _want _to anymore. _

That shuts the Voice up for about thirty minutes.

Apparently Fang and Angel noticed my sudden distance.

Oops. Guess I forgot to keep up my, "Oh, I am TOTALLY _not_ having a conversation with a voice in my head instead of listening to you guys. Pssh no way!" act.

Fang looked at me worriedly, but I try to ignore it. When I look at him, his onyx eyes seemed to be asking me, _what was that about? _

I look down at my hands and twiddle with my thumb. My brown ones seem to say back, _I don't know. Nothing, I guess, _as I fiddle with my hand. _  
_

I look back up to see his reply. _You can tell me, you know that right?_ He said.

I blush slightly, (like, seriously? Where in heck did _that _come from?) and am thankful that everyone's too caught up in their own conversations to notice me "talking" to Fang.

I want to tell him, _I wish I could, but if you knew, you'd probably lock me in the crazy-bin. _But what I _really _tell him is, _I know. But seriously, it's nothing._ It surprises me that after four years, we can still connect like this, just with our eyes.

_Can we just drop the subject please? _I plead with him after a moment.

_...All right..._

Then Ella said something to me about hanging out here more often. I just smile and nod my head, not saying a word.

**

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**I hope that wasn't confuzzling. They were talking to each other with just looks and such. Just in case you didn't catch that :P**

**Heehee, sorry…..I KNOW I promised another chapter up soon-ish LAST WEEK, but I've just been sooo busy. I have exams—hate them, with a passion—and a bunch of projects at school. My mom's been stricter about chores lately, (no idea WHY) so every time I get inspiration, my mom's like, "CHORES!" And I'm like, "But moooooomm!"**

**So….yeah…**

**I think, for now at least, I'm going to update every week….hehe….sorry : ( **

**But….yeah. The next chapter—I'm almost done with it! **

***.*.*Flitting Wishes*.*.***


	10. Chapter 10

**This chapter is more emotional than some of them, and it's sort of a filler, but the actual plot is reveled next chapter.**

**DISCLAIMER: I disclaim Galt Aureus, Shining Apollo, Maximum Ride, and…yeah. I own nothing but the plot. And an ipod. And a computer. And the Santa Claus hat I'm wearing **

***.*.*Flitting Wishes*.*.*

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**

Why is it, when you want something more than ever, but you know you can't have it, why do you even bother with wishful thinking? It only brings heartbreak. That's why I stopped believing dad was still alive. But that hasn't stopped the thoughts completely.

I try to block out all the memories of him, to keep myself from getting sad and all that. And it's worked.

That is, until the Craw's came back.

The memories came swimming back to me by the dozen, all of them. Each one of them causing a new pang of heartbreak.

I remember one from when I turned eleven.

I turned my head to smile at J.J and Michael. It felt like forever since we last hung out together, but I knew they wouldn't miss my eleventh birthday.

_They smiled back._

_All of the Craw children were there, too. I sat at the head of the table, Fang to my right, J.J on my left. Michael sat next to J.J, Nudge next to Michael. Iggy sat next to Fang, and Gazzy sat next to Iggy. Angel sat at the other end of the table. _

_On the outside, I was calm and collected and had on a mask of pure happiness. _

_On the inside, though, I was sort of wishing this could just end, because my wings had been pressed close to my back, and I was just itching to pull them out, and fly away. Away from everything. I was afraid of what would happen if my new friends found out about my wings, and I was worried about Michael and J.J. They were really, really distant, lately. And I didn't like it._

_I just wanted to take _one short flight _to calm myself, and get everything straight. Then I'd come back, and no one had to know…_

You can't, Maximum. _Ah, the voice. The annoying, know-it-all voice. Great. Could this day get any _better?

I know I can't, _I tell the Voice. Which is true. I can't think that flying would solve everything. Nudge, Michael, Gazzy, and Iggy are chatting away. Only Angel, Fang, and J.J seem to have noticed. Weird. But who am I to talk? I'm a freaking avian-American!_

That doesn't mean I have to stop wishing it. _I finish in my head to the Voice. He's quiet for a little while._

_Mom and dad come in, mom with a camera, dad with the cake. It's a chocolate cheesecake, with strawberries on top. _

_Dad sets the cake in front of me. _

_Mom lights the candles, and everyone starts signing Happy Birthday to me. When I blow out the candles, I wish things would just go back to normal. _Well, as normal as my life can get, anyway.

Now, sitting in my room, listening to my ipod, just thinking, I wish that that really _did _happen. Things wouldn't be so complicated if my life was normal. But, by now, I'm in too deep to make things regular. _Way _too deep.

_Love the Way You Lie_ comes on, and I sing quietly to myself.

Ella knocks on my closed door, and I pause the music. "Come in." I say. My voice cracks, and I clear my throat before saying it again.

Ella, in all her glory, comes in and sits on the edge of my bed. It's Sunday, and she's in her church clothes: A pink dress down to her knees, a white cardigan, white tights, and black marry Janes. Her black purse hung on her shoulder. Her hair is down on her shoulders, and her bangs are pulled off to the side with a hairpin. She has on just a little bit of mascara, blush, and light pink lip-gloss. **(A/N: I'll put the pic of her outfit on my profile :D)**

"Crap!" I say, because I'd completely forgotten about Church. Darn my mind and its ways of making me forget things.

…Anyways.

"Yeah. Mom told me to tell you to get ready. We're leaving in fifteen minutes." I nod at her, and she gets up to leave. She's at the door, before she turns around and says, "Oh, and J.J called. She said she had something really, really important to tell you." I nod again, and Ella leaves my room, shutting the door closed behind her.

Well, okay then. Time to get ready for church.

I end up in a navy blue dress with a blue belt to go with it that goes down to my knees like Ella's. I also wear black leggings, blue flats, and a black sweater. A little bit girlier that what I usually wear, but it's church, and mom always makes us wear nicer clothes to church. Honestly, I don't mind too much. **(Pic on Max's church outfit, also)**

I don't wear any makeup, except some mascara, but that's all. I decided to bring my ipod, because it's a semi-long drive to the Church. About twenty-five—thirty minute ride there.

I grab my IPhone off my bedside table where it had been charging, and run down stairs for breakfast.

It takes me five minutes to eat three pancakes, and then I run back up stairs to brush my teeth. Ella asks if she can do my hair, and I accept because I know that if I try to do it myself, it'll end up looking bad.

After a lot of my complaining and her yanking on my hair, she finishes brushing it, and then braids my hair. Ella's good at braiding, and I'm glad she choose to do that, since my hair is less annoying when in a braid.

Mom calls up to us that it's time to go, and we run downstairs and to the garage. Our garage is pretty small. We have only two cars: Mine, and moms. I usually have to drive Ella around if her friends can't.

We end up taking moms blue Toyota Prius. I'm sort of upset I can't drive my car, because it's my baby.

And, yes, I did name my car. Her name is Virginia.

Ha ha, no. Just joking. But she is my baby!

Ella and mom talk the whole way, but by the first five minutes, I'm tired, and turn my ipod on, trying to get a little bit more sleep. The song that comes on next is _Shining Apollo _by_ Galt Aureus_. **(I LOVE that song! Go listen to it!)** I sing to it in my head, but not aloud. I don't want Ella and mom to hear me sing, because I don't exactly have the best voice.

_You look at me like I'm Apollo,_

_Your bright hero,_

_Shining to keep you safe,_

_Like I am the light._

It's such a shame they aren't very popular. They actually are an amazing band. Sigh…

_I will shield you in,_

_A radiant embrace,_

_You will hold your head up high,_

_Withering the Titans_

J.J, who's actually the one who introduced me to the band, showed me the music video for this, and I downloaded the song to my ipod, right away.

I end up falling asleep, since I didn't get much sleep last night. Don't ask me why, I don't even know.

I only got about fifteen minutes of sleep, though, before Ella wakes me up, announcing to me that we have arrived. I rub the sleep out of my eyes, probably messing up my mascara, but not even caring.

I force myself to stay awake long enough to walk in the church.

* * *

**I'm so, so, so sorry for the shortness of the chapter! I swear, if I have time, I'll update tomorrow!**

**But, today, we have to finish wrapping the Christmas presents :D**

**Iggy: Today's Christmas Eve, and you're just now finishing wrapping?**

**Me:…Yes. What's your point?**

**Iggy: * shakes his head, like "I cannot believe you" ***

**Me: Shut up.**

**You guys should seriously look the song up. It's not a very popular band, but they're awesome **

**Merry Christmas!**

***.*.*Flitting Wishes*.*.***


	11. Chapter 11

**DISCLAIMER: Why?**

* * *

**MAXIE'S POV:**

"Hey, mom?" Ella asked our mom as we made our way out of the church. "Can we go out to eat for lunch?" Mom was texting someone on her phone, and miraculously not running into anyone while we walked out of the huge, (like, there's gotta be 900 people, huge) brown-and-white church. She glanced at Ella, and replied, "Sure, honey. We can go to Chili's if you want." Chili's is Ella and my favorite restaurant for lunch. Ella nodded. Even though mom isn't looking at her, she knew that Ella said yes.

"Can we stop by the house real quick, though?" The blue dress I had to wear was really annoying me, and the heels were giving me blisters. Why didn't I just wear a dress shirt and pants? I was asking myself the same thing.

Mom didn't even look up that time. She just agreed, typed a couple more things in her phone, and put it away in her purse.

"Max!" I heard a female voice call from behind me. I didn't even have time to look behind me, before the girl tackles me. Only one person did that, so I knew who it was. "J.J!" I laughed lightly, (I seem to have been doing that a lot lately) and turn around. I hugged her, and as soon as I pulled away, she started talking, but it was jumbled up together. It sounded something like, "Church—walking—dad—haven't seen—why?" She stopped to catch her breath. "J.J., what are you _talking _about?" I asked, bewildered.

Her answer shocked not only me, but also Ella and mom and anyone who has ever known me. She took another deep breath, before delivering the news.

"I saw your dad!"

_Now do you understand, Maximum?_

* * *

**FNICK'S POV:**

"Please, Fang? Please? We won't ask for anything else ever!" Ah, Angel and Nudge begging me to let the whole Flock go to Max's for Thanksgiving. Her mother had invited us over, since we hadn't exactly planned to do anything for the holiday. But, we all really wanted to go, even me. It would've been nice to get some real food in our stomachs. Sure, Iggy could cook, but we didn't exactly have the money for it. I was even thinking about getting a job so we could stay longer.

They just _had _to bring out the Bambi eyes! Sigh. I never could say no to them.

"Fine." I gave in. The flock cheered, happy we got to spend the holiday with Max and her family. Ella is apparently Nudge's friend, too, so bonus for her.

_Who knows? Maybe I could actually talk to Max and get the reason we came her in the first place over with._ I tried staying optimistic, even though that doesn't always work.

Dear God, help me.

* * *

**I'm quite abusive to the changing of the pov's, eh?**

**

* * *

**

**BACK TO MAX'S POV:**

My breath caught in my throat.

_Oh. My. God. _I thought. The voice must've been listening, too, because it repeated it's earlier statement.

_Now do you understand, Maximum?_

Ella was tugging at my arms, and I snapped out of my trance. "Max! Come on!" She started dragging me towards wherever it is J.J. said she saw my father.

Before we could even go down the steps that lead to the church entrance, J.J. stopped us. "He left. I saw him leave." My heart dropped.

Ella looked disappointed, too. Mom was just standing there, mouth open, eyes wide.

I, being me, had to ask, "How do you know it was him?"

"I remember what he looked like. Plus, when he was coming out, he dropped his wallet. I picked it up for him, and he came back looking for it. The license said, 'Jeb Ride.'"

I chocked back a sob. After all this time, he was still here. Or had he just come back…?

But where did he go in the first place?

_Maximum, you have to go now. _The voice.

_Why?_

_Jeb is looking for the Martinez's. He came to your house, and you have to leave __now._

The voice hasn't ever lied to me before. Worth a shot.

"Mom," I turned to her. She was still in shock. "We have to get home. _Now."

* * *

_

**a/n: Ooh, and the plot thickens!**

…**.**

**No one has reviewed in forever :'( I be sad.**

**Ah-ha-ho! Bad grammar! Someone call the police!**

**It was really short, but that's your punishment for not reviewing *angry face. you know, where you do the greater than sign and the frown thing?*  
**

**Seriously, review. Reviews give me inspiration, and I'm not quite sure where I'm going with this, so I NEED INSPIRATION!**

…**.Bye!**

***.*.*Flitting Wishes*.*.***


	12. REALLY IMPORTANT U MUST READ IT

**THIS IS **_**REALLY, REALLY, REALLY**_** IMPORTANT SO READ!**

**Okay, so I know that I've already done one of these in the story, whatever. But this is **_**really **_**important. **

**Okay, so I went back and read it, and I found a plothole.**

**Yee-ha. **

**Iggy: Stop quoting your dad!**

**Me:…Aw, gee, thanks, now I sound stupid.**

**Iggy: That's cuz you are.**

**Me: Shut up.**

**Alright, so I realized that there was no possible way for the Flock to pay for the house and everything. **

**NOT ANY POSSIBLE WAY. **

**I don't want to go back and change it though, so just pretend that he said they are living with Iggy's parents, okay? Because I don't want them to just be, like, adopted or whatever, since they aren't exactly staying very long…**

**GAH! SPOILERS, I HATE YOU!**

**-cough- so for now, they live with the Igster's mommy and daddy, 'kay?**

'**Kay.**

**Iggy: Don't call me 'Igster!'**

**Me: Too bad, cuz I am. **

***.*.*Flitting Wishes*.*.***


	13. I'M SO SOWWY! :

**I know you all probably hate me right now, but I have to quit this story. I'm sorry, but I don't have any inspiration for it at freaking all, even after I tried typing up the next chapter, all I got was the very beginning. I really don't like this Fanfic anyways. It's not my best. Actually, it's some of my worst. I really need to start focusing on Pretend and Out of Line, and not this. But, if you still like my writing and all that jazz, you have those two fanfics to go read, plus I am in the middle of writing a collab story for MR at this very moment! XD I also have a couple of more songfic/one-shots coming yo' way. :)**

**But again, sorry. **

***.*.*Flitting Wishes*.*.***

**P.S. if it makes you feel any better, the collab that will be posted in a couple of day will have a lot of faxysauce! :) **


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